Lefay
by King Caspian the Seafarer
Summary: What is Uncle Andrew's fairy godmother's story? This is the story of Lavina Lefay.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia. End of story. Well…not the end of this story. Actually, it's only the beginning…**

**A/N: Welcome friends from the Lion's Call! I really really really appreciate anyone's comments and reviews! A quick note, this is basically about Mrs. Lefay, Uncle Andrew's 'fairy godmother' and how she got the box. I had to come up with a first name, so bear with me! I really didn't have much to go on, and all I got about the mysterious Mrs. Lefay was from chapter 2 of The Magician's Nephew.**

--Chapter 1--

It was night. The light of the full moon streamed through the tall trees around the secret courtyard like a spotlight, illuminating the gnarled rose bushes around the center. Two lion statues, still as stone, guarded the entrance, their faces cold and stern. Everything about the garden seemed dead. Old apple trees with no leaves creaked as their branches twisted in the eerie light.

A slight movement stirred in the shadows of the high wall outside, and a shadowed figure stepped forward from the darkness. It stealthily crept forward, approaching on tiptoe the silent garden. The figure was cloaked in a dark grey cape, the oversized hood throwing its face into shadow. It passed the stone sentries, and stepped carefully around the rose bushes, staring up at the silver stream of water trickling from the tall granite fountain that stood in the very center.

The moonlight reflected off of the pool of water, and illuminated the shadowy figure. The person threw back the hood, and revealed a face as clear and pale as the moonlight itself, and hair dark as the shadows. She gazed into the pool, staring deeply into the moonlit water.

"Nashtah langova telingua mangovahnimah!" she chanted softly.

Nothing happened.

The girl glared down at the shining water, and then, she turned away in disgust. A sound from the fountain stopped her. She looked down, and saw her shadow in front of her. A fierce light was blazing behind her. She whirled around, and gasped, her red lips opened wide.

The fountain was growing. The water was all silver, shining brightly like the moon. The pool of water, the greater part of the fountain, was being lowered to the ground. It spread out, and the top part where the water flowed down was growing taller and more fantastical with every second and half second. Finally, it stopped, and all was silent except for the bubbling of the water now streaming down the tower-like structure.

The girl looked down, her green eyes shining. A blue circle on the side of the large pool part of the fountain shimmered. She spread out all her fingers and placed her hand, palm down, on the circle. She looked up when she heard a splash from the fountain, and her eyes gleamed as she watched seven steps shoot up out of the water. The girl stepped up on the rim of the fountain, and jumped to the first stepping stone. She stepped from one to the other until she reached the last one.

There, on the side of the pillar before her, another blue circle glistened. She placed her hand on it as well, and another symbol appeared on the wall. It was the shape the girl had seen many times in the last few years. It was a symbol that dated back to one of the first civilizations on the earth. It was the shape of the pendant that hung at her neck. She ripped it off her necklace and held the pendant up. Slowly, she pressed it to the blue symbol on the pillar.

"This had better work," she murmured, and pressed down hard. With a flash, the pendant and the blue symbol disappeared, and a strange line of symbols lit up on the pillar before her eyes. They were writing, like the ancient Hieroglyphs of Egypt. But these were older, more ancient even that Egypt.

They were Atlantean. The symbols formed a doorway, and the girl murmured, "Tainti'vah!" The door opened, and the girl stepped in.

Open mouthed, she gazed around the chamber in amazement. This was the place she had been seeking for many years.

"Lavina Lefay," she whispered to herself as her lips curled into a sort of smile, "you are the most incredible archeologist of all times!"

Lavina's eyes jumped from one thing to another. The chamber, which was lit in a blue, eerie light, was dotted with pillars and pedestals of many kinds. She stepped carefully from one to another, seeing for the first time in centuries the ancient artifacts of Atlantis.

She saw pictures on the walls, Hieroglyphs of the Atlanteans, telling their story. It was plain enough. This chamber had been made to preserve the old things, to keep the legend of Atlantis from disappearing completely. Atlantis had been the most technologically advanced society ever to live upon this earth. They had solar powered devices, which, to them were considered primitive; they had water powered transportations and devices that ran on moonlight. It was very old, but very advanced.

Then, the pictographs changed. It showed a girl falling into a pool of water. When she came to the surface, she was in another place, not the place where she had been. This picture of water became more and more frequent in the pictures, until it became obvious that the people thought of water as a god. Then there was a picture of the girl and a box.

She was in the strange other place, where there were many trees, it seemed. The girl seemed to be putting something into the box, and then, the hieroglyphs changed again. This time, all the people worshiped the box, and the girl. They were throned on high, and named gods by all the people. That was where the pictures ended, and the walls were empty after that.

"How peculiar," Lavina mused. "I wonder what happened."

She stepped over to a pedestal, and saw a book. It had a strange sign on the front, but Lavina, having been interested in the lost land of Atlantis from childhood, had memorized the Atlantean alphabet and could speak fluent Atlantean.

"The book," she read from the cover. "The book? As in, only one book?"

She opened the book to the first page and gasped. It was the entire history of Atlantis! It began with the story of a man created by a god; that story Lavina passed over with a look of scorn. She skipped to the end of the book and saw that the people of Atlantis had existed for about one thousand years. Then, everything had stopped. The book spoke of the box and the girl, and the last entry said something about a wave of water.

"A flood!" Lavina assumed. "Of course! It's obvious now! A huge flood must have sunk the island. But how could this fountain have survived so long?" She scanned the book, checking for anything about this fountain.

"Ah! Here's something!"

The book said that the fountain was waterproofed, and was intended as a sort of time capsule for future generations to see.

"It must have somehow survived the great flood," Lavina mused. "I don't know how, but it did!"

She picked up the book and moved on to the next pedestal. When she saw what was on it, she froze in shock. The pedestal was fifty feet high, and had a long winding stairway leading up to it. The stairs were made of a white sort of granite, Lavina noticed as she carefully picked her way up them. At the top, a strong blue light streamed down onto a rectangular shape made of wood.

It was the box. The box the Atlanteans had worshiped. The box that held something from another world. It was there in front of her.

Lavina reached for it, but then stopped short. Something wasn't right. The Atlanteans wouldn't leave a treasure like this unguarded, would they? She looked more closely at the box. It was made from a dark wood, and was covered with inscriptions and strange symbols that Lavina could not interpret.

The box was pulling at her, making her look at it. She couldn't rip her eyes away and her fingers ached to touch it. At last, Lavina gave up trying to hold in her curiosity, and reached out. She touched it. Instantly, the beam of light from above shut off. Lavina stepped to the right, ready to duck if any poison darts should fly her way. She decided it was time to go, and headed for the exit.

When she neared the door, she looked down at her hands; she was holding both the book and the box.

"I can't take both!" she exclaimed miserably, "They're too heavy!"

She looked longingly at both, but then threw the book down.

"I'll come back for it if I can!" she told herself, darting out the door.

She pressed her hand into the blue circle again, and her pendant appeared on the wall. She grabbed it and leapt across the stepping stones. The door slid shut, and the strange symbols disappeared. When she made it back to the side, she pressed her hand into the other shimmering circle. The fountain began to shrink. Once it was back to normal size, the blue circle disappeared, and the moonlight, once more, was the only thing in the clear pool of water.

"Goodnight, fountain of Atlantis!" Lavina murmured as she faded into the shadows once more. "And thank you for the gift!"

**A/N: Again, please review, or at least drop a comment! I hope to release the next chapter soon, but if not, then bear with me! The next chapter…will anyone believe Lavina when she tells them about her find? **


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or Atlantis.**

**A/N: Sorry I took so long writing this… I had a bad case of writer's block. I would really appreciate any comments or reviews. Thanks for sticking with me!**

"Miss Lefay! Mr. Dean will see you now." Lavina Lefay looked up. It was time. She stood up and entered the chairman's office. How many times had she done this? How many times had she gone to the chairman of the British Archeological Union with a new find, and then been turned away like a piece of trash. They thought she was insane, this girl with a passion for Atlantean artifacts; but she wasn't. And she was about to prove it.

"Mr. Dean?" Lavina asked boldly, striding in the huge, yawning door into his office.

"Ah, Miss Lefay. Do have a seat."

Mr. Dean, the chairman of the BAU, was dreadfully fat. His suit must be sized to fit an elephant, Lavina thought. He had a double chin and his bald head shone in the dim light like a billiard ball. His kind blue eyes filled Lavina with scorn. He pitied her. That was obvious enough. But he would soon have no cause to pity her if all went well. The chairman's eyes perceived another creature altogether. Before him stood a tall, slim girl, too slim, in his mind. Her long dark hair was up in a tight bun, and her vivid green eyes shone out of her pale, thin face like a star in a dark sky.

"Mr. Dean," she began, "I have found undeniable evidence that the Atlantean culture once existed."

"Oh you have, have you?" the man asked with a smile. How many times had she come into his office, claiming that she had found proof.

"I have!"

"Where is it?" he asked.

She opened her briefcase and pulled out a box. The chairman leaned forward.

"What is it?"

"A box from Atlantis!" she remarked triumphantly.

"Why do you think it's from Atlantis?" he asked skeptically.

"I found it in an Atlantean outpost surrounded by all sorts of other artifacts."

"What sorts of artifacts?"

"There was a book that contained the entire history of Atlantis!"

The Mr. Dean sat back in his chair.

"May I see the book?" he asked.

Lavina faltered.

"Well…I don't have it."

"Ah." The chairman rocked his feet back and forth. "I see."

His secretary popped her head in.

"Mr. Dean, Doctor Leigh to see you?"

"Right!" he said, standing up. "It was nice talking to you again, Miss Lefay."

"You can't put me off like this!" Lavina warned, but the man ignored her.

"Come back when you have more proof," he told her. Lavina stormed away, almost pushing a young dark haired man into the wall.

"I'm not coming back. Not ever," she muttered to herself through clenched teeth.

"Who was that?" the young Dr. Leigh asked the chairman.

"Who, that girl? She's quite mad. Thinks she's found an Atlantean outpost." he replied, chuckling to himself.

"A what?" Dr. Leigh's interest was peaked.

"An Atlantean outpost." Mr. Dean turned to the doctor. "Oh don't tell me you're interested, Thomas?"

"Well, I have done a bit of research on Atlantis," Dr. Leigh said.

"Thomas, the girl's mad! She's come to me a dozen times to beg for funding. She's obsessed with finding Atlantis."

"But Mr. Dean," Thomas Leigh said, "What if there was such a place? What if she has found something to prove it once existed?"

"My friend," John Dean replied, "'Once you've been in the business long enough, you can tell a mad person with an obsession when you see one. Miss Lefay is descended from people with questionable mental stability."

"Lefay?" Thomas repeated softly. "Why does that name sound familiar?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"Never mind. Do you have contact information for her? I would like to pursue this, even if it is a false lead."

"Of course," Mr. Dean replied, and handed a sheet of paper to the younger man. "Don't be too disappointed if I am right, though. And don't fall for her act, what ever you do! She's a tiger, that one."

Lavina marched down the staircase of the chairman's building, and down into the street.

"Cab, miss?" a cabby asked in his gruffly polite way, but she waved him off. She could afford a cab, but she needed a way to burn off her anger so she didn't do anything rash. Besides, even though most ladies took cabs, she was no ordinary lady. As she carefully stepped around each mud puddle, she thought back to her appointment with the chairman. Of course, she realized, it would be no use going back to him again. He wouldn't believe her if she brought in a live Atlantean. How long had she been interested…no, obsessed with Atlantis? It felt as though she had spent one hundred years searching for clues to this lost civilization. But it had only been ten years…ten years since she had found the journal…

_Lavina flew up the creaking stairs and into the cold, musty attic. Her pale face was wet with tears, and her eight-year-old heart was breaking. It had been four years since her mother had died, and her father was still as distant as ever. He didn't understand her. No one understood her. No one ever would. She flung herself down onto an old mattress and wept bitterly. Her life seemed to be worth nothing. There was nothing to live for, no excitement or intrigue. Suddenly, a small tapping noise came from behind her. She stopped crying and whirled around. No one was there. An old bookcase faced her. Lavina got up and looked at the books. They were old books, most of them faded and torn. But one book stood out from all the rest. The side facing her was a bright blue with golden letters. Lavina pulled it out from the shelf, and gasped at the cover. It was also blue with gold letters, but the words on the cover were strange and foreign. She opened the first page and saw more of the strange words. Her mother had taught her to read when she was three, an abnormally bright child. By six, she had the vocabulary of most fifteen year old of the time. At seven, she was working the most complicated math problems her father could devise. He planned to have her in a university by twelve. But Lavina could not understand these letters, and that bothered her. She flipped through the book, and found more of the letters. Disgusted, she threw the book onto a desk next to the bookshelf and sat down in a chair facing the desk. She sat there, looking at it, and then saw something else. There, on the desk, so covered with dust that it looked quite brown, was another book. Lavina picked it up and blew the dust away. The cover was a very vivid green, the same color as her eyes. She opened it, and was relieved to find words that she could read. She read them out loud._

_"The secret notebook of Morgan Lefay, written in the twenty-third year of her life." Lavina almost gasped. "Morgan Lefay," she breathed. _

_She opened the book, and found, to her surprise, that the pages were not at all faded or stiff. They were made of a soft material, perhaps a cloth of sorts. Lavina flipped through the book, and stopped on a page that had the strange letters on it. She sighed in relief, seeing that it was an alphabet to translate these strange symbols into English. _

_"How queer!" she exclaimed after looking at them. She looked at the top of the page, and saw the words, 'Atlantean Alphabet. Found 945 AD'. _

_"Atlantean? This writing is from Atlantis?" Lavina gasped. She read over the signs, and scribbled them down on a sheet of paper she had with her. She felt that the book shouldn't be removed from the attic, and flipped through the rest of it to see if there was anything else in strange lettering. There wasn't, so Lavina put the book back down on the desk. She grabbed the big blue book, which she assumed was Atlantean, and used the alphabet to translate. She had only gotten partway through the title when she realized she would need more paper. She put down the pencil and headed back down stairs. _

_"Morgan Lefay," she mused as she grabbed a stack of paper. "I wonder if I'm related to her."_

_She thought about this for a moment, and then found the family Bible. At the beginning was a family tree, and sure enough, at the top of it was the name 'Morgan Lefay'. Lavina gasped._

_"Morgan Lefay was my great great grandmother!"_

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Lavina approached her apartment building and stared up at it solemnly. She had translated the entire Atlantean book, and learned many things about Atlantis, including the language, and the location of certain outposts. However, she had not been able to find the outposts until recently because the book was so old that the directions were out of date. The fountain outpost was the only one she had found so far. Her father had put her in the university at fourteen, and she had graduated at eighteen, with a degree in Archeology. She had gotten strange looks from many people when she told them she had graduated. Many women were never educated in schools, and Lavina was one of the only exceptions. Her father had died when she was seventeen, and she had had to work her way through the last year . She had managed, however, and now she had found her first Atlantean artifact. Now eighteen, she was fresh from the university, and was somewhat impatient and distrustful of others. She made her living as an assistant and researcher for a professor at the college. Lavina climbed the stairs to the top of the complex and exchanged her stiff shoes for slippers. After she had put some wood on the fire and made herself some tea, she sat down in her chair to relax. Then someone knocked at her door.

**A/N: Okay…I'm almost over writer's block, but it is a very dangerous disease. I got bored out of my skull trying to think up new ideas, and while this may not be my best chapter, I'm glad it's over with. Thanks for commenting, and please continue to do so! Reviews are greatly appreciated…really! Next chapter…will Lavina find a partner to help her find Atlantis? Will she go back for the book? **


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia.**

**A/N: Hello! I am dreadfully sorry this took so long, but I do have an excuse. I had writer's block, and I just couldn't crank out stories as I usually can. Sorry to make you wait! Enjoy.**

With a sigh, Lavina got up to open the door.

"Hello?" she asked. Outside stood a young man, a few inches taller than herself.

"Yes, Miss Lefay? My name is Thomas Leigh. I heard you were interested in finding Atlantis?"

Lavina almost shut the door in his face. Was it some kind of cruel joke? No one had shown any interest in her finds at all.

"Yes," she said skeptically.

"Well, I overheard you at the chairman's office, Mr. Dean?"

"Did he send you?" Lavina asked angrily.

"No!" Thomas said urgently. "I came on my own. I am also interested in Atlantis."

"Are you? Won't you come inside?" Lavina asked.

"Certainly!" the doctor said.

Lavina opened the door, and he entered.

"Won't you have a seat?" Lavina asked, gesturing to the easy chair by the fireplace.

"Thank you," Thomas replied.

The young lady pulled up another chair, and they sat together, sizing up each other.

"So, you are interested in finding Atlantis?" Lavina finally asked.

The young man ran his hand through his black hair thoughtfully.

"Yes," he replied. "I have done some research on Atlantis, though I haven't found any evidence."

"I see."

"The chairman said that you thought you had found some evidence?" Dr. Leigh prompted.

"Oh yes! I found what I believe is an outpost of sorts, and I found a box."

"A box?" Thomas asked, leaning forward.

"Yes! It's the most curious thing!" Lavina said, standing up and heading toward a cabinet.

She fumbled around in it for a moment, but then found what she was looking for.

"Here," she said, carefully handing the box to Thomas.

He took it, and studied it. Curious, he fingered the latch to open it. It wouldn't open.

"That's strange," he murmured.

"What it?"

"It won't open," Thomas replied.

"It won't?" Lavina asked in dismay. "I hadn't tried to open it yet."

"What are we going to do?"

Lavina sighed.

"I have to go back."

"Back?"

"To the fountain," Lavina explained hastily.

She grabbed a cloak, and headed to the door, pausing when she remembered her guest.

"Well?" she asked.

"Well what?"

"Are you coming with me or not?"

Thomas stood immediately.

"Me?"

Lavina looked at him scornfully.

"Yes you!"

"But how do you know you can trust me?" Thomas asked.

Lavina smiled secretively.

"I just know. Are you coming?"

"Do you honestly think I'd miss a chance like this?" Thomas asked with a smile, handing her a coat.

"So, where exactly is this fountain?" Thomas asked once they had begun walking.

"It's at the ruins of what was believed to be an old English castle. I'm afraid it's rather a long walk from here."

The rain kept pouring, and Lavina kept doggedly on, Thomas following her in apprehension.

"Wait!"

Thomas stopped in his tracks. Lavina turned, crying, "What?"

"How could I have forgotten! I have a friend who lives near here! Owns a horse farm. Hang on," Thomas said, glancing around.

After getting his bearings, he led Lavina down an alley and into a peaceful farm on the west side of London, in the small town of Fulham.

"Meade!" he cried as they walked into the barn.

Lavina wrinkled her nose at the smell of cows and horses, and said, "I don't think this is such a good idea."

"No wait, Lavina, you'll see. Farmer Meade!" Thomas yelled again.

"Thomas!" came a voice from in the stable, "Thomas Leigh! Is that you?"

"Farmer Meade!" Thomas cried, as a young man, only a few years older than himself, came out of the barn.

"Come on in the barn, Tom! It's freezing out here!" Meade replied, gesturing to the barn.

Thomas winked at Lavina, who shook her head back.

"Okay," she said, still uncertain.

Once inside the barn, Thomas and the other young man shook hands.

"I haven't seen you in ages, Tom!" the young man said.

"It has been a while," Thomas replied.

"And, who is this?" the man asked, turning to Lavina.

"Lavina Lefay," she said, politely holding out her hand.

He shook it, replying, "William Meade. It's a pleasure, my lady."

Then, he stood back to look at them.

"So, Tom, what can I do for you?"

Thomas scratched his head.

"Well, Will," he said, "We're heading to a place further out West, a new Archeological site. I was wondering if we might borrow two of your horses."

"In this weather? You're crazier than I thought!" the farmer laughed. Then, seeing his friend was serious, he replied, "All right. Make sure you're not in the rain all the time, and don't run them too fast."

"Thanks, Will," Thomas said, shaking his friend's hand again.

"My pleasure," William said, as he headed into the stables to get the horses.

The two remaining young people stood in silence for a moment.

"He must really trust you," Lavina said, glancing at Thomas.

"We were best friends when we were in school," Thomas said, still staring after his friend. "Best friends."

Moments later, Farmer Meade arrived with the horses.

"Here you go," he said, handing the reins to Lavina and Thomas. "I trust you know how to ride," he said, addressing the remark to Lavina.

"I've ridden since I was six," she replied.

"Good. This one," he said, patting Lavina's horse, "Her name is Luna."

The mare was pure white, and her arching neck showed signs of Arabian blood. She whinnied softly as Lavina patted her neck, and bowed her head to Lavina's. Lavina closed her eyes and whispered into the horse's ear.

"If it please thee, horse of power

Let me ride upon thee now.

Firm and strong we stand together

And to no other will we bow."

Luna neighed softly, and bobbed her head up and down in reply to the ancient spell. Lavina was now her master until she released the horse. Thomas and his friend didn't notice it, however.

"And this," William said, "is Sunbird. He's a bit jumpy at times, but I think you can handle him."

"Thanks, Will," Thomas said, mounting his horse. "I owe _you_ a favor now!"

William chuckled warmly and replied, "No trouble at all my friend. Until later!"

Thomas and Lavina rode off on their horses and William turned back toward his home.

"Who was that, dear?" his wife asked as he came in the door.

"Thomas Leigh, an old friend of mine, Debbie," he said wearily, sitting down and prying off his muddy boots. "He borrowed Sunbird and Luna."

"Two horses?" Deborah Meade asked, handing him a cup of tea, "In the middle of a thunderstorm? How peculiar!"

"Exactly what I thought, dear," the man said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Exactly what I thought."

"How much further to this infernal fountain of yours?" Thomas Leigh shouted through the pelting rain.

Lavina glanced back at him in annoyance.

"Not much further. Follow me!" she cried, guiding Luna up a steep path toward a dark shape.

Thomas followed obediently, and found himself riding into a small shelter, what could, at one time, have been a stable. It was about ten feet high, and little drops of water leaked through and fell on the dirt floor.

"What is this place?" Thomas asked.

Lavina tied her horse to a ring in the wall of the stable, and Thomas did the same.

"It used to be the gardener's stable," she said, wringing her hair out.

"Gardener's stable?" Thomas repeated.

"Yes. Come on," Lavina said, heading out of the stable and back into the rain.

Thomas bit back a curse and followed her further uphill. At last, they entered what looked like a garden. The two stone lion statues guarding the garden looked stern and cold, but when Lavina passed in front of them, Thomas could have sworn they moved a bit.

After what seemed like ages in the rain, the two companions found the center of the garden. There, a fountain sprayed a silvery rain that could hardly be seen among the dreadful weather.

"Nash'tah langova telingua mangovahn'imah," Lavina murmured, stroking the wet stone of the fountain gently.

A bright blue light pierced the dark sky, and a stream of blue light shot up from the top of the fountain, fanning out to cover the two young people. It covered them and flowed all the way to the ground, a blue shield against the rain. Thomas held his hands up, but the rain had really stopped.

Then, he looked back at the fountain and gasped. It was now at least three times its normal size, the basin part having sunk into the ground, and the center having grown taller and larger around. Lavina pressed her hand down onto a blue circle, and stepping stones appeared.

"Come on," she said to Thomas, jumping from one stone to the other.

Once at the center part of the fountain, Lavina placed her hand on another glowing circle, and pressed a pendant which hung on a chain on her neck into a symbol on the surface of the cylinder. A door slid open, and they stepped inside.

**A/N: Like it? Hate it? Tell me what you think! I'll try to get the next one out pretty soon, but if I don't, then please forgive me! I'm awfully busy these days.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia.**

**A/N: Hey guys. I am really sorry that it took me this long to write the next chapter. This one isn't even that good, but I'm trying to get back into the swing of things. It might take a while, but I will eventually get out of the writer's block I have for this fic. I promise.**

**Please review. I love reviews. And if you have any ideas, please let me know. Thanks.**

**Reviews**

**L.A.:** Have you seen the new Star Wars Trilogy? Lavina is sort of like Anakin. We all know he's going to end up as Darth Vader, just as we (hopefully) know that Lavina is going to end up being the means by which Uncle Andrew gets the rings. She is evil. I do not approve of Witchcraft, which is why I am showing her as evil. Evil people do evil things.

**Wathira:** Thanks for sticking with me. Sorry it's taken so long. Hope the next chapter is out sooner. ;)

**Legolas:** Glad you like it. Read this and please review again. Please. ;)

**Tawynleaf:** I'm glad you like my style. This is kind of a strange way of writing for me. It's new.

**Jira'sgirl:** I'm happy you liked it. I always wondered how she got the box too. That's why I wrote this fic. Well sort of anyway...

**Aravis:** Glad you liked it too. Pray continue reading and enjoy. ;)

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**_Chapter 4_**

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"This is incredible!"

Thomas Leigh turned round and round, his gaze moving from one ancient thing to another. It was too much to take in. In the eerie blue light, everything looked so strange. The light made him feel like he was underwater, yet it was easy to breath.

"I still cannot believe this!"

Lavina watched him with a smug smile on her face. It was such a relief to have someone to confide in, someone you could show your greatest discovery.

"How can I thank you for this?" Thomas said, tears in his eyes. "This is my greatest dream come true!"

"I'm glad you like it," Lavina commented dryly.

"Where did you find the box?" Thomas asked, remembering what they had come for in the first place.

"Up there," Lavina pointed. "On that pedestal."

Thomas made his way over toward it, and looked all around the stone stand where the box had been. Strange carvings and snaky patterns twisted around the pedestal, but it was empty. There was no key to be found.

"There's else nothing here," he reported, his gaze lingering for a moment.

"I wonder...where would they keep the key?" Lavina mused to herself.

"Look at this," Thomas said, spying the book that Lavina had left the day before. "It must be a record of the events that occurred during the time of Atlantis!"

"Good luck reading it," Lavina said with a skeptical glance. "It's not exactly written in English."

Thomas picked the book up, and opened it reverently, but couldn't make any sense of the pictures and symbols. He turned the pages, flipping through it carefully. At the last page, Thomas suddenly noticed that the back of the book was still very thick. He felt it with his fingers, and then turned over the last page.

"A secret compartment," he breathed. Then louder, "Lavina! I've found something!"

He fingered the compartment, but it wouldn't open. Lavina came up behind him and looked over his shoulder.

"Give me that!" she said sharply, taking the book from his hands.

"What do you think you're doing?" Thomas protested, grabbing it back. "I was the one who found it."

"But _I _was the one who found _this_!" Lavina shouted, gesturing wildly around and then snatching the book back.

"Let…me...see...it!" Thomas gasped, pulling at the book.

"Huan'go lata'sha!" Lavina breathed breathlessly.

Thomas flew up in the air, repelled by some invisible force, and shot back, hitting the wall with a painful thud. "That'll teach you to fight with a fairy," Lavina hissed in satisfaction as her gaze turned back to the book.

Morgan Lefay's spell book had revealed to her many secrets, including the power to move things with mere words. Incredible.

She pulled off her pendant and set it on the surface of the back cover. Nothing happened

"It won't work," Thomas said, picking himself up stiffly and straightening. "You have to have the _key_ to the compartment to open it."

Lavina ignored him. Still, nothing happened.

"I told you," Thomas said.

Then, a flash of blue blinked blindingly, and a puff of dust shot into Lavina's face. The girl shook her head and coughed to clear the dust from her throat, and then turned back to see the book. It was well worth seeing.

A single section of the back cover rose up like an arm for six inches, and then it spread out into a palm of a mechanical hand. Clutched tightly in the hand was a golden key.

Thomas gasped in wonder. Lavina glanced back at him and said dryly, "You were saying?"

He just gaped at her. Lavina turned back to the hand and rapped the knuckles of gently. The hand popped open. Lavina set the book down on an empty pedestal and carefully picked up the key. It was four inches long, and was encrusted with sapphires and diamonds. Lavina was about to put it in her pocket, but changed her mind and put it back into the mechanical hand, which snapped shut around it and went back inside the book.

"There," Lavina said decidedly. "Now no one can _steal_ it."

"Miss Lefay," said Thomas, approaching her from where she had thrown him, "I _am_ sorry. I believe that some magic of the book made me behave most abominably. Will you accept my apology, and forget this incident between us?"

"I will," Lavina said. Then her eyes narrowed as she murmured, "But don't try it again."

Thomas' gaze flickered from her to the book, and then back at her.

"What kind of person are you? Throwing people against walls and finding secret Atlantean secrets?"

Lavina sighed deeply, and then began to tell him.

"I'm a direct descendant of Morgan Lefay."

"The half-sister of King Arthur?" Thomas asked in amazement. "But how can that be? I thought she was a legend."

"She was a Faerie," Lavina corrected. "And so am I."

Thomas nodded skeptically and smirked.

"Right. And I'm the King of England."

Lavina raised a dark eyebrow.

"Do you want me to prove it? Maybe throw you against the wall again?"

The smirk disappeared from Thomas' face.

"I…I was…joking…" he stuttered, trying to read her expression and failing miserably.

Lavina raised her eyebrow again, and then smiled darkly, spinning around with the book under her arm and heading for the exit.

"Good. From now on, let's limit ourselves to funny jokes, all right?"

"Right," said Thomas, shaking his head and walking after her.

"Whatever you say, Faerie-lady," he muttered under his breath. "This job may be harder than I thought."

A sudden crack of what sounded like thunder shook the chamber, and Lavina and Thomas looked around in fear.

"What's going on?" Thomas asked, anxiety rising.

Lavina looked up, and then screamed.

"Run for the door!"

Thomas shot a glance up, and paled instantly. The ceiling was collapsing.

**_To be continued..._**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Chronicles of Narnia.**

**A/N: Again, thanks to everyone for being so patient! This story is coming a bit faster now, but don't get your hopes up. ;) It's still awfully slow. Please read and review!**

**_Reviews:_ (special thanks to all my reviewers. ;) You make my day when you post a review.)**

**redrose7856**: I'm glad you like it. Intriguing is a good word. It rather fits this fic, I think. ;)

**Wathira**: Lavina's character is, indeed, like Anakin's, because we all know she's going to be the one who gives Andrew Ketterly the dust for the rings. Funny, but I hadn't thought about the similarities between them until last chapter. ;) I'm so glad you understand about stressing fics. I don't like to write when I don't feel the inspiration. Thanks for understanding!

**Princess Aravis**: Suspense indeed! This chapter doesn't leave you hanging quite as much. ;) Sequencial is a good word. ;) Thanks for the review!

**Legolas**: She is a bit less friendly. I don't think she's really used to hanging out with other people much. I imagine her as rather solitary.

**7Knight-Wolf:** I'm glad the characters meet with your approval. I understand COMPLETELY about the faerie/fairy difference. I shudder at the thought of Lavina as a Tinkerbelle character. ;) Thanks for reminding me, though. ;)

**L.A.:** Don't die of curiousity. Or anything else, for that matter. Hopefully this chappie will keep you alive for a while longer. ;) And as for your apology, there is nothing to forgive, my friend. Your review wasn't meant to be mean. I can understand the confusion completely. Lavina sort of is the heroine, but we all know she's bad. Hopefully she will end up turning almost good in the end, as Uncle Andrew hinted in MN.

**_(continued)_**That's right about Morgan Lefay, King Arthur's half-sister. Of course, I'm sure C.S. Lewis didn't intend for "Old Mrs. Lefay" to actually be Morgan, but I have a feeling that she was at least meant to be related. ;) Thanks for the great review!

_And now, without furthur adieu..._

--Chapter 5--

"Run!" Lavina screamed, dropping the book, grabbing Thomas' arm, and trying to drag him toward the door. "We have to get out of here!"

Thomas picked the book up, tucked it securely under his overcoat, and followed his companion. Lavina dodged falling debris with an agility that would have been impossible for a mortal; she seemed to know exactly when each block of stone would fall, and where. Thomas was less fortunate. Many of the stones he was able to escape being hit by, but one large chunk managed to hit him in the head.

With a short cry, Thomas stumbled back, and then slumped to the ground as his head spun with pain. In a few moments, he was unconscious.

Lavina turned back, and when she saw Thomas' pale face, his closed eyes, and the large incision on the side of his head, she glanced reluctantly once more at the door, and then ran to her friend.

"Come on, Thomas," she muttered, slapping his face gently. "We have to get out of here while there's still time."

When he did not respond, Lavina clenched her teeth to keep herself from screaming from frustration.

"I didn't want to have to do this," she muttered angrily. Then she hissed, "Relai'nah," and tapped his forehead with her finger once.

Lavina's magic, made possible by her faerie blood, caused the wound to scab over immediately, and Thomas' eyes fluttered open.

"Get up," Lavina gasped, jumping up, but then stumbling back and leaning heavily against one of the pillars.

Thomas noticed her extremely pale face, and opened his mouth to ask what happened, but then thought better of it. Lavina, tired by the effort that it took to heal her companion, winced and then turned toward the door.

"We still have time," she murmured, but then stopped at the sight of the door.

The door was caving in. They would have a matter of seconds to get through it before it entirely collapsed. If they didn't get out in time, they would be trapped.

"Come on!" Lavina screamed, adrenaline replacing the weariness that had filled her veins.

She raced for the door with Thomas in hot pursuit. Dodging stones and hoping she wasn't too late, Lavina kept sending worried glances back at Thomas. At last they reached the door; Lavina gasped audibly as she caught sight of the empty stone pavement where the huge lake of the fountain had been. Thomas, a few steps behind her, let out a startled yelp as the ground started to move under him.

"Lavina!" he yelled, his eyes open wide as the ground rocked back and forth.

She looked back just in time to see a crack split open between him and the door.

"Jump!" she shouted, holding out a hand. "There's no other way!"

Thomas stared at her like she was out of her mind. The gap between them was growing wider with each second that passed. It was then that Lavina realized what was happening; the strange drying up of the lake of the fountain; the sudden breaking up of the stones.

The water from the fountain was draining into the area under the building, causing the entire thing to crumble. Either the stone had grown so cracked from the pressure of the water, or the devastation of the outpost was a security caution, Lavina didn't know.

"You have to trust me!" she screamed, eyeing the rapidly collapsing ceiling with anxiety.

Thomas noticed her glance and nodded hesitantly. He crouched down, and then leapt as hard as he could. Unfortunately, that still wasn't enough to make it across the gap. Lavina grabbed his hand before he fell, and he hung from the piece of rock just inside the doorway. Lavina held on with all her might, but she knew that the odds that she would able to pull Thomas to safety were slim.

Chunks of rock the size of boulders crashed down from the ceiling, racing past Thomas as they fell. One of them hit his arm with a sickening thump. Thomas cried out in pain, almost jerking his hand from Lavina's grasp in his agony. Lavina, sure that he could not last much longer if she just let him dangle beneath her, closed her eyes and began to pull him upward.

A crash came from above, and she looked up in time to see the entire ceiling collapse and begin to fall toward them. There was still time for her to escape.

_I could leave him_, she thought_. There's nothing hindering me from leaving him. I could simply…let go._

But for reasons unknown to her, Lavina did not let go. Instead, she gave one last effort and pulled Thomas up with all her might. To her surprise, she stumbled backwards as Thomas, just as startled as she, appeared at the edge. With a grunt, he pulled himself up over the rim of the cliff. Lavina pushed him down into the empty pavement where the fountain's lake had been, and then grabbed his arm.

"Come on; we have to hurry!" she shouted.

Thomas stood still, panting for a moment and saying nothing. The rain, which was still falling steadily, was quickly soaking both him and Lavina. He reached up and touched his right forearm where the falling chunk of stone had shattered his arm, and then looked back at the young woman.

"I just escaped death nearly three times. Can't we take a breather first?" he said, his head swimming with pain and dizziness.

Lavina gave him a irritated look and shook her head, her dark, wet hair whipping around her face.

"We're not out of danger yet, Thomas," she said impatiently. "This pavement could crumble at any moment. Come on."

She grabbed his uninjured arm and began pulling him toward the edge. Thomas, protesting and wincing in pain, finally wrenched his arm free and walked on his own to the rim of the fountain. Quickly, Lavina slipped over the edge, and then helped Thomas over. A loud cracking noise came from behind them, and they both turned. Lavina turned half a second sooner than Thomas.

The fountain was there one moment, the water spraying out magnificently, blending with the rain and contrasting with the dark clouds brilliantly. And then, too quickly for Thomas' eye to catch, though Lavina might have seen it, the entire fountain simply crashed to the ground in pieces.

And then everything was silent; as though nothing had ever happened in that garden, or ever would again. The stone lions on either side of Lavina and Thomas stood just as still as they had when Lavina had first seen them, their expressions solemn and serene. The rain fell gently, making a rhythmic pattern as it pounded on the ground, making little indentations in the soil and little dots of dampness on the two human's clothing.

After a few moments of spellbinding silence, Lavina shook her head and bit her lip. Thomas turned to her, and saw a single tear trailing down her cheek; though for all he knew it could have been a drop of rain.

"Are you all right?" Thomas asked, breaking the stillness.

Lavina started, her eyes flashing green in bewilderment as she turned to him.

"What?"

"Are you all right?" Thomas asked, a bit more slowly this time.

Lavina looked at him as though he was mad.

"All right?" she asked slowly, her voice trembling and filled with something like anger. "The last link to Atlantis has just been destroyed before our eyes and you want to know if I'm all right?"

Thomas simply stared at her, not understanding what she was so angry about. Then, as if something flashed across her mind, Lavina's eyes filled with tears as she turned away and stared at the ruins of the Atlantean Outpost.

"We didn't even get the book."

Lavina's eyes drifted over the ruins, wondering if they could go over it and find anything, anything at all that would lead them to unlocking the box. But now, all her life's work as an archaeologist would go to waste. She would never fulfill her ambition to find the secrets of Atlantis. Lavina knew that she would never find anything like that outpost again, no matter how hard she looked. Her one chance was gone. Forever.

Behind her, Thomas cleared his throat.

"Actually, I don't think you have to worry about that."

Lavina closed her eyes and felt the hot tears of disappointment fill her eyes and stream down her face.

_Can't he be silent for a few seconds?_ she wondered angrily.

"Lavina…"

Lavina whirled on him and glared at him for a full three seconds before she realized that he was holding something in his hands. She took one look at it, and then burst into tears again; but this time they were tears of relief.

"I was trying to tell you, Lavina," Thomas repeated, holding out the book apologetically. "I still have the book."

**_TBC..._**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Wow. Long time no update! Thanks for being patient. I hope it won't be this long a wait again. ;)**

God bless, and have a great (though late) Christmas! 

* * *

**~Reviews~**

**redrose7856**: Thanks for sticking with me! Here's your update.

**Princess Aravis:** Glad you liked the last chapter! It was rather fun to write. This one is boring, but the next few will be good. ;)

**Elanor Joy**: Thanks for letting me know there are some people out there who aren't too upset when I don't post immediately…;) I'm bad at not posting quickly. Here's your update!

**Legolas**: Glad you liked it! Here's another chapter.

**Wathira**: Lavina definitely does not deserve Thomas. He rocks. ;) The farmer and his wife are going to become involved…sort of…it's hard to explain since I haven't quite gotten things straight myself. I suppose we'll just have to see what comes.

**Some Narnian:** Thanks for the encouraging review! I'm glad you noticed the little arrow pointing at the flood…I was wondering if anyone would pick that up. ;)

**Crunchy Mallet**: Sorry…this is one fic that it takes forever for me to update. ;) Thanks for your patience.

**L.A**.: Great! I hope the rest of this fic meets with your approval as well.

Thanks guys for taking the time to review! Can't tell you how much this poor, lonely author loves hearing from you…;) (yeah, Aravis. I said poor and lonely. Don't start snickering now.)

* * *

_**--Chapter 6--**_

Lavina stared at the book, her eyes wide in disbelief. Finally, comprehension dawned, and her gaze shifted to Thomas' face.

"You…you saved it?"

Thomas nodded assent, still holding out the book. At last, Lavina reached out her hand for it.

"May I…may I have it?" she asked breathlessly, almost unable to believe that it was really there.

"Please do," Thomas replied, pushing it toward her. "Here. Take it."

Lavina's fingers brushed the cover of the book slightly, and then it was in her arms, pressed tightly against her chest.

"Oh Thomas!" she gasped, tears of joy replacing the tears of disappointment. "I can't believe it! You saved the book…I can't thank you enough."

Thomas tightened his overcoat around him and ran a hand through his wet hair.

"I know one way," he said, glancing up at the dark clouds that were still looming glumly overhead. "We can get the horses and go back to someplace dry."

Lavina suddenly seemed to notice how wet she had become, and wrapped the book carefully under her coat.

"Right," she murmured. "Let's get the horses."

Stepping briskly to the small shelter where they had left the beasts, they mounted them in silence. On the ride back to the farm, the sun broke through the clouds.

"That's how I feel right now," Lavina commented thoughtfully, squeezing the book close to her. "Sunbeams shining through the rain."

Thomas smiled and nodded, his eyes fixed on her face. It was so pale, but so determined and queer. There was something magical in the lines of her face. Then he remembered what Lavina had told him in the outpost about her having faerie blood. It somehow seemed more believable after what they had just been through. After a moment, Lavina noticed that he was staring at her. Instead of blushing and looking away, as most girls would have done, she simply met his gaze and raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not much like ordinary girls, am I?" she asked softly, smiling wryly.

Thomas' jaw dropped. He gave her a disconcerted look, and then shook his head uneasily.

"So you can find magical fountains, discover the secrets of Atlantis, throw people against the wall just by thinking about it, escape from an impossible situation, _and_ read people's minds?"

Lavina wrinkled her nose at him, and then shook her head.

"I don't read minds. It's not really that difficult to figure out what you're thinking just by looking at your face."

Thomas grinned, and then shivered. They were both absolutely soaked. The horses were snorting in the cool, evening air, and the sun was setting in the west. Thomas observed this curiously. He wiggled his pocket watch free of his jacket, and then gave it a quick glance.

"Great Scott!" he exclaimed, shaking it once, and then holding it by his ear to make sure it was still ticking. "It's nearly six o' clock!"

"What?" Lavina's mouth gaped, and she quickly glanced at her own chronometer. "Impossible!"

"How on earth!?" he asked. "We were only in there for…at most twenty minutes."

"Were we?"

As he heard her soft, challenging question, Thomas' heart skipped a beat.

"You mean…"

Lavina turned to him with a strange, excited look on her face, one that made him feel a bit odd for a moment.

"From the hieroglyphs in the book," she began, a gleam of something entering her eyes, "One might surmise the Atlanteans may have found a way to control time. Control, and even alter it. I thought it was just a legend, but…"

"But…but that's impossible!"

"Is it?"

Thomas was speechless with bafflement…and a strange sense of excitement.

"You mean that the time inside the tower has no relation at all to the time here? A place—on this earth—that is outside our time?"

"It's possible," Lavina replied with a shrug.

The young man took a deep breath and looked away, staring across the empty fields at the setting sun. They rode on in silence. After about a quarter of an hour's riding, they reached the Meade Farm. Thomas dismounted first, and then helped Lavina down from her steed. He turned and strode toward the house—a bit stiffly, perhaps—leading his horse by the long, leather reins. Lavina began following, a bit more slowly, but stopped by her horse's head to whisper:

"Many thanks, my friend. I release you from my hold. May your fields always be green with wheat, and your bucket filled with oats."

Luna threw back her head and whinnied a merry reply, and shook her long, silver mane. Little droplets of water splashed Lavina, and Thomas glanced back, but she continued onward as if nothing had occurred.

A door slammed shut somewhere in the direction of the farmhouse. A few moments later, William Meade appeared, running toward them with obvious anxiety.

"Tom!" he shouted, stopping abruptly as he reached Thomas. "Thomas, where have you been? We've been looking for you everywhere! I was about to inform the police that you were missing!"

Thomas barely managed to keep from looking too bewildered.

"What on earth are you talking about, Will?" he asked, grabbing his friend's arm and looking him in the eye. "We've only been gone a couple of hours."

William drew in a sharp breath, and then glanced at the two horses, and Lavina. Then he looked back at Thomas.

"Tom, you left with my horses yesterday at four o' clock. It's been 27 hours since I last saw you."

Thomas could only gape. Lavina quickly stepped up beside him and put a hand on his arm, warning him with a glance.

"I'm dreadfully sorry, Farmer Meade," she said apologetically. "You see, we rode farther than I meant to go, and I forgot to bring a map with me. By the time it was dark, I was so turned around…and then Sunbird threw Thomas and he hit his head, and…" she let out a little sob, swaying a bit on her feet as if she was going to faint and dropping Luna's reins.

Thomas grabbed her arms, supporting her so she wouldn't fall. William grabbed both the horses' reins, and while he was distracted with them, Thomas hissed:

"What are you doing?"

"Just play along," Lavina whispered, giving him a sharp look.

William turned back to them after a moment, and gave Lavina a worried look.

"Come along to the house," he told them, after making sure she was all right. "You're both soaked, and I daresay you could do with some supper."

The two followed Farmer Meade obediently. When they reached the farmhouse gate, William quickly wound the two leather reins around a post and left the horses grazing contentedly by themselves. He opened the door to the house, and allowed Thomas, supporting Lavina, to pass before slamming it shut behind him.

"William?"

Lavina blinked as her eyes adjusted to the dark, yet cozy interior of the farmhouse. Most of the furnishings were rough, dark wood, but altogether, she found herself rather liking the homely little room that was the kitchen. The woman who had spoken gasped loudly at the sight of the three of them, and then strode quickly toward them.

"William, you found them!"

The farmer shrugged, yanking off his boots with an air of indifference.

"They were just riding up when I went out to feed the chickens."

Lavina felt strangely tired, and a bit lightheaded. The fatigue of the day was catching up with her, along with the lack of energy resulting from her healing of Thomas. She swayed on her feet, this time the dizziness real instead of pretended. The woman put an arm around her shoulders and guided her to a large, cushioned chair in front of a hearth where a nice, crackling fire blazed brightly.

"Sit here, dear. I'll fetch you some tea in a moment," the woman said, smiling gently at her.

"Thank you," Lavina murmured, closing her eyes and basking in the warmth the fire gave off. Eventually the dizziness receded.

A few minutes later, Lavina opened her eyes and glanced around the room again. In moments, her quick eyes found the figure of the woman. Deborah Meade was not tall, and yet she was not short either. She was not fat, but then she wasn't thin either. She certainly wasn't beautiful, years of care having worn away her fine features, yet one could see past the work and oldness in her expression, and it almost made her pretty. She seemed to be somewhere in between everything; not one extreme, and not the other. In the middle.

She had long brown hair that was pulled back in a bun on the top of her head, and her chocolate brown eyes gleamed kindly from behind her spectacles as she handed Thomas a cup of tea.

"Are you all right, Ms. Lefay?" William asked, sitting down at a nearby chair to warm himself at the fireplace.

Lavina gave him another look. His curly blonde hair was rumpled and unruly, but in a nice sort of way. His honest blue eyes glimmered just as kindly as his wife's in a way that made Lavina want to tell him everything, down to explaining about her quest for Atlantis. But she knew she couldn't.

"I'm fine, Farmer Meade," she answered, shivering for the last time and flicking her long hair back over her shoulder. "Just a bit chilled."

Deborah handed her a cup of tea, and offered her cream and sugar.

"We began worrying when you two had been missing for a whole day," she said, walking briskly back to the wood stove in her kitchen and replacing the tea kettle on its pedestal. "What on earth happened to keep you out all night?"

Lavina and Thomas exchanged a quick glance, and Thomas knew by the look in her eyes that he was supposed to remain silent and let her tell the tale.

"We were riding westward to find an Archaeological site I had been exploring and needed some help with. Everything was going all right for a while, but then I realized I had left my map of the terrain behind. It grew dark before we could find our way back, and then Sunbird," she gazed at Thomas warningly, "Sunbird threw Thomas and he hit his head. He was unconscious until first light this morning. We rode all day, though we stopped for several breaks, and just an hour ago found our previous trail."

The Meade's exchanged a glance. Lavina held her breath. Her story seemed plausible enough, but William and Deborah seemed to be able to see through her. What if they realized she was lying?

"Your head, Thomas," William said, turning to his friend. "How is it?"

Thomas winced and rubbed the side of his head, where the rock had struck it inside the Atlantean tower.

"It's not too bad. Just a flesh wound. It scabbed over well enough."

Deborah made him lean his head toward the light so she could get a good look at the cut, and then shrugged as she turned back to her husband.

"He should be fine. I can bandage it for you if you want," –this directed at Thomas— "but it seems to be healing fine on its own. You'll want to get it checked back in London so it doesn't become infected."

"Of course," Thomas replied with a tired smile. He stood. "Thank you both for your kindness in taking us in, but we really should be getting back to town."

"So soon?" William asked, standing as well and edging toward the door. "You're both welcome to stay the night. I'm sure you don't want to head back to town this late."

Lavina gave Thomas a desperate look. She liked the farmer and his wife, but the book under her coat made her heart beat more quickly with each thought about what the box might contain. She _had _to get back. There was no way around it.

"Again, thank you, Will," Thomas said, smiling gratefully, "but we really must be getting back. I have to appear at work in the morning, and I'm sure Ms. Lefay has plenty to do as well."

Lavina nodded and stood to her feet.

"Thank you _very _much for the loan of the horses—and the tea and fire," she told the Meades. "I'm sure I'm very grateful."

Deborah smiled and gave her a kind look.

"Any time you need anything, Ms. Lefay, don't hesitate to stop by."

"Please, call me Lavina."

Thomas led her to the door and called back over his shoulder:

"Thanks again, Will! Be sure to call me if you ever need a favor!"

"Do you need a ride to town?" asked William.

"We'll be fine walking!" Thomas shouted, already about halfway across the lawn.

As the Meades watched the two young people walk quickly down the path toward the city, William shook his head.

"This is a strange business. I don't know for sure what just happened, Debbie, but I don't like it." The farmer shook his head again and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Don't like it one little bit."

_**TBC…..**_


End file.
